


Deeper Down

by Zairafuana



Category: BioShock, NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: Adventure, Canon drug use - Bioshock plasmids, Canon psychological torture - Surviving Rapture, Chapter 5 - Welcome to Rapture, Couples are still loving under stress, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, General warnings for surviving life in Rapture, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapped girls, M/M, Main character physical abuse, There will be fluff between the suffering, They've finally gotten there, established relationships - Freeform, graphic violence once in Rapture, slow build for first few chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-22 03:53:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8271716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zairafuana/pseuds/Zairafuana
Summary: The worlds of Pride and DiNozzo shatter when their respective daughters go missing. The quest to bring them home will drag both men and their partners down into a long forgotten watery Hell. Their strength, both as individuals and as couples, will be tested as they try to survive in a sunken city of nightmares.





	1. ~*~Prologue~*~

**Author's Note:**

> Well, everyone. My love for Bioshock and halloween has pushed the plots of other stories out of my head. So, here we go. This is my halloween story for all you guys. It's probably gonna last long past halloween given my track record. So, I'm sorry to start something new on you guys but here we go.
> 
> Notes: The reader will not have to have played Bioshock or Bioshock 2 to understand this story. This is just characters from NCIS and NCIS:NO in the setting of Rapture several decades after the events of Bioshock and Bioshock two. I will give enough information for things to be understandable and I'll try to keep super major plot points out. There will be spoiler warnings for sections with spoilers so bare with me. All the reader has to really know is that Rapture is a massive under water city in the mid-atlantic. It was a city created to be without rule of any of world government. It quickly fell under a drug-enhanced murderous insanity that destroyed the city. The city is done in 60's style art deco style.
> 
> Note 2: I decided this will be an AU twist to my Cemetery Sweethearts verse and obviously takes place in the newest seasons of each show. This means that some things that happened in Cemetery Sweethearts will be mentioned in here at some point of the other.
> 
> Disclaimer: I only own what isn't canon in any of the fandoms.
> 
> More tags will be added. Also, it will just be the four of them going unless I get votes for someone else to join them. I taking votes for one extra person from each team.

 

The morning had been going so well. Then, this had to happen. It sounded like insanity. How was this even happening?!

"Daddy, did you hear me?" The question made Pride blink slowly at the floor. His sense of safety flipped and left him feeling queasy.

"Sorry, Love, coul' you say tha' ag'in?" There was a soft sigh in reply.

"Sure. Dad, Ah'm callin' to say goodbye. Me and a couple other girls are leaving in an hour to study abroad in Iceland." The air left Pride's lungs at the news. Panic set in, consuming him. He was unused to his little one going so far away. It had been hard enough to send her away to college out of the city.

"W-why didn' you tell me earlier?"

"Because Ah knew this would happen, Dad." She sighed softly again over the phone, "Ah knew you'd be mad. But, Ah'm a grown woman, Ah can take care of mahself."

"You're gonna be gone all semester an' not tell me? Course Ah'm upset, Laurel!"

"Dad, Ah'll be fine. Relax." Her serious tone cut his rampage short. He was finding it hard to breathe, "Dad, please calm down. Ah'm gonna be fine. If'n somethin' bad happens, You'll be the first person Ah call." Pride's pulse was out of control, tears creeping in on his eyes. He felt sick but nodded, even though she could not see him. He knew he had to trust his little girl, even if it hurt.

"Ah love you, Sweetheart. Please be safe."

"Of course, Dad. Ah love you too. Sen' mah love to Chris. You two be safe." Laurel hung up and Pride nearly dropped his phone. His little girl was leaving the continent and he was on the verge of a panic attack.

His pale eyes slipped closed as he sank down into his chair. He folded one hand over the other and clutched his fingers tightly. His thumb rubbing his new wedding ring in a calming gesture as he tried desperately to relax. He rested his hand on his desk. He could get through one semester, right?

_**~*~Chapter End~*~** _


	2. Comes Crashing

A long string of yawns echoed through Team Gibbs as they all sank into their chairs. They had all been up for over 48 hours and were beat. The case was almost over and they were finally allowed to rest while Gibbs broke their suspect. Each member retreated to his or her own desk to relax.

McGee's eyes ached, as well did most of the rest of him. He undid the top button of his shirt and rested his head atop crossed arms on his desk. His exhausted eyes had just slipped closed when the unexpected happened.

" ** _Probie!_** " The loud call of the familiar nickname caused him to jerk awake. It took a moment for the sleep to ease from his eyes to see a very anxious Tony DiNozzo running straight towards him. McGee could only blink stupidly at the ex-SFA.

"Tony?" By now the rest of the bullpen was focused on the two. Bishop looked as shocked as McGee while Quinn and Torres just looked lost.

"Timmy, where's Gibbs?! I-I can't get a hold of him! Oh god, I can't find her! She's gone, Tim!" The panicking older man was speaking so fast that Tim did not comprehend any of what he said. Despite this, he was up and around the desk within seconds at the tears in his friend's eyes.

"Tony, I can't understand you. Start again. What's wrong?" The new SFA said softly, leading Tony to his old chair. He rubbed his friend's shoulders gently as the older man clung to his suit coat.

"It's Tali. She's missing, Tim! I can't find her anywhere! Now where the hell is my fiancé so he can fix this?!" The tears were dripping down Tony's face by now. Tim was kneeling before him and trying desperately to sooth him while everyone stared. Bishop was already up from her chair and bolting to the interrogation rooms while Tim wiped his friend's tears away.

"He's in interrogation. Bishop's getting him. Shh... It's gonna be okay, we'll find her. I promise." Tim's arms curled around his friend as the older man clung desperately to him for comfort. Sorrow filled Tim, Tony was struggling with being a new father as it was and then this had to happen.

**_~*~NCIS~*~_ **

Chris frowned softly as he ate his breakfast. His gaze refused to leave his moping husband. He put his fork down and gently rested a hand on his friend's arm. He gave the older man a worried look, his hand sliding to the other man's hand so they could link fingers.

"King, wha's wrong? Ya been off all week." The question was asked softly as Chris moved his chair closer. Dwayne sighed and pulled the younger man into his arms.

"She's been gone a month now, Chris. Somethin' feels off, feels wrong." The wary words were whispered against Chris' hair, "She 'asn't checked in in two days."

"Maybe she's been busy. It can't be easy studyin' o'er there."

"No. Tha's not lik' Laurel and you know it, Love. Somethin's gone sour, Christopher, Ah kin feel it." Chris was about to reply when Dwayne's phone rang. Dwayne kissed Chris' hair lovingly before answering the phone. Bile slowly creeped up Chris' throat as he felt the other man stiffen. His own pulse flowed unsteadily as he watched his husband shakily hang up.

"King?'

"That was a call from Laurel's college. There's been several disappearances at the Iceland transfer campus and Laurel's roommate has reported that she's been missing for two days."

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

The day was going quite well for Gibbs. He was just about to crack this suspect and finish their case. He was completely content until the door slammed open and broke a very important rule as his atmosphere of dread was broken. He turned his icy glare on Bishop as she stood panting in the doorway. Just as his inquisition was about to start, she was already answering.

"Gibbs, it's Tony!" His blood ran as cold as his gaze, "Something happened to Tali! He needs you!" Gibbs was pretty sure his heart had stopped working. He suddenly could not breathe as memories of losing Kelly came roaring back. He struggled through tunnel vision as he stumbled from the room. He had to get to Tony. Nothing else mattered now.

_**~*~Chapter End~*~** _


	3. Wavering Awareness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, this was a lot to think up and type while having the flu. I do hope that it came out alright. Does it flow okay?
> 
> First off. I want to say thank you to all you lovely supporters of this story. I hope that I can live up to your expectations. Also, I had to tweak the lore on the older girl abductions a bit to fit the story.

The world felt tilting and swirling to Gibbs. He was struggling to get anything out of Tony. The younger man had turned from fountain of too much rapid information to near catatonic. McGee had gotten the other man out of his panic attack but now Tony seemed shell shocked.

"Tony, c'mon, Babe, you have to tell what happened." Gibbs was trying to stay calm but he was getting anxious. They were running out of time now that the younger man could not seem to get words out. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He saw McGee and Bishop flinch slightly as they saw him fail. They moved away slightly from Tony.

"DiNozzo, details!" The demand was emphasized by a strong yet gentle headslap. He tried to use less of them now that he and Tony were together. He never liked abuse towards significant others in any way but years of training was sometimes the only thing to get through to his lover.

He smiled softly as he saw focus come back into Tony's moist eyes. The younger man blinked rapidly and quietly thanked him. Gibbs ignored the shocked and disbelieving looks on Quinn and Torres' faces as he focused fully on what Tony had to say.

"Jet, I don't know what happened." Tony barely got the words out, his breath coming out in choked gasps, "I left her at the daycare, the one we usually go to. I-I checked in several times during the day b-but when I went to pick her up, she was gone! T-turns out she had been out of sight for over an hour but they thought she was playing with the other kids so they weren't worried!" Gibbs was seeing red. _How could those idiots be so careless!?_ He kept his emotions schooled behind an icy mask but still pulled the younger man into his arms. He kissed his lover's hair gently and whispered soft words of comfort. He carded his fingers tenderly through the other man's soft hair while glaring past him.

"McGee!"

"Yes, Boss!?"

"You already notified the local authorities?"

"Yes, Boss."

"You and Bishop start looking into recent kidnappings. I want to know if there have been any other local ones like this or if this was personal. Tony has a lot of enemies."

"On it, Gibbs!" Both McGee and Bishop called out as they scurried to do as they were told. Gibbs turned to his other two agents, "You two, I want you casing the neighborhood. See if anyone saw anything about this!" The other two were a little in shock but quickly nodded.

Once they we gone, Gibbs gently raised Tony's chin and kissed him. He held him close and lovingly petted his hair in a soothing manner. The other man was crying again but still responsive to the comfort.

"I have to go work on this, Love. You stay here with Abby while I go fix this." He gently wiped the ex-agent's tears away and slowly stood up. He nodded at Abby, who had arrived a small while ago, and let her latch onto Tony. The two sibling-like adults held each other close while Abby hugged and nuzzled Tony. Gibbs kissed them each on the forehead before heading off to do his own investigative work.

**_~*~NCIS~*~_ **

The stress of being bumped up to the agent in charge while also being the adopted father of a missing girl that was roughly only around ten years younger than him was not what Chris needed today. He was frazzled, scrambling to take charge of the investigation of Laurel's disappearance without actually being Iceland. He half felt like crying and half felt like puking. He was drowning in a sea of worry, confusion, and self-depreciation while Doc Wade was keeping his guiding light from going on a murderous one-man rampage in the mid-atlantic! He missed his calm, nurturing King. He missed his strong, insightful Brody. Least he still had Percy to keep him going.

He sunk into his chair with a pitiful whine. His eyes slipped closed, the room feeling like it was tilting. His rattled nerves had him quivering as his half-eaten breakfast threatened to come back up on him. Good lord, he still had a dozen calls to do!

"LaSalle?" He jerked back into focus, the room still spinning as he looked up. A worried Percy was staring down at him, hand resting questioningly on his shoulder. She gently squeezed his shoulder before rubbing it gently, "Le' me do the calls. Why don' yu go check on wha' Sebastian and Patton have found." It took a moment for the words to sink in but it sounded pretty good to him. He slowly nodded, rubbing a hand over his tired face. It did not feel like he had just been woken up by sweet kisses a few short hours ago.

He shakily got out of his chair with his friend's help. He felt her pat him on the back gently before she went back to her own desk to make the needed calls. He stumbled through the kitchen, wincing guiltily as he heard something crash angrily upstairs. He swallowed thickly as he forced his feet to carry him to Patton's office, trying not to think about the argument Dwayne and Loretta were having upstairs. He only knew he had to do better, he had to solve this; get Laurel back.

As he neared the office of their cyber division he heard familiar bickering. He sighed softly, he really did not need this today of all days. Why could these two never just get along while working on something? Was that too much to ask?!

"Yu've finally gone completely batty, man! There is no way in hell tha' place e'er existed!" Confusion and anger shot through Chris. What were they talking about now? Why were they not focusing on where Laurel had gone?!

"Ah'm tellin' you it's real! It's happenin' again!" Chris' pulse ticked strangely at the words. What _were_ they talking about?

"It's an Urban Legend. It can't exist. Nothing like it e'er could!"

"An Urban Legend, Patton? Really? From Iceland?! I'm telling you the city's real. It's where they took her!"

"What city?" Both specialists jerked and twisted backwards at the sudden sound of Chris' voice as he stood in the doorway. Patton glared at Sebastian before frowning at Chris.

"Don' listen to him, man. He's completely los' it this time." The computer specialist commented sourly before slapping the forensic specialist in the arm. The taller man pulled away and rubbed the pain in his arm before walking over to Chris. He took Chris' hand and stared into his eyes.

"Ah know where they've taken Laurel. A-ah don't know who but Ah know where!" Chris' heart skipped a beat and his lungs stopped working for a second.

"Where?"

"I-it's a city called Rapture, LaSalle!" Chris could not believe what he was hearing for a second. He was confused, that was not a Icelandic name. The word wasn't even Icelandic!

"Ah've never heard o' no city named Rapture bafore, Sebastian."

"W-well of course not! T-there was a major coverup back in the 40's about it." Sebastian gently lead the agent over towards his computer in the room and sat him down. He brought up a bunch of very old-looking scans of what looked like government reports, "Rapture was the dream of a man back in the 40's. He wanted to make a city where there was no government, no religion, to rule the people. So he made a city."

"Don' believe him, LaSalle. Tha' stupid city was nothin' but a myth!"

"Quiet, Patton!" Both men looked at Sebastian in surprise at the command. The forensic scientist never spoke like that to his friends, or anyone really, "Chris, it is real! It's just that there's next to no governmental proof of it. Ah've been investigating it for years! Every piece of information I've found was buried undo so much other stuff that it was almost impossible to find. But Ah have prove, Ah have coordinates! B-but that's not the important part right now! The i-important part is that this has happened before!" He brought up articles for Chris to look at. They were missing persons reports: one from the late 60's and another from the current week.

"It's the same! Little girls between the ages of 3-6 being abducted in mass amounts all around the world." He brought up an article from the 60's about more abductions, "Then, there was records of girls in their late teens to mid-twenties going missin' in Greenland and Iceland at the exact same time as the little girls. It was said in reports that people found clues that lead them to Rapture to look for the girls, but t-there's no reports of those people or the girls again. Myself, and several other researchers, believe that somebody is trying to recreate wha'e'er happened in Rapture in the 60's but this time there was no clues left beside the age patter-!" The tall young man was cut off by Patton throwing a small rubber ball at Sebastian's head. The two were about to start another quarrel when Chris suddenly stood up, shocking both of his companions.

"Give me the coordinates, Sebastian." Both specialists stared dumbly at him before the taller one began to stumble over a reply but Chris quickly cut him off, "Ah'm goin' ta Rapture ta fin' her. Give 'em ta me."

"Chris! Yu can't jus' take a plane there!"

"Why not?"

"It's in the middle of the Atlantic ocean! It was built underwater. Rapture's an underwater city! The entrance is claimed to be some lighthouse ou' in the middle of the open ocean but it's not known fer sure!" Surprise and confusion filled Chris at the words but his determination was too strong and his emotions refused to play on his face. He turned towards Sebastian and he put his hands on his friend's shoulders.

"Jus' give 'em ta me, Seb. Ah'll fin' mah way when Ah get there. Ah'm goin' fer her an' Ah ain't coming back 'til Ah 'ave her."

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Tim was exhausted, and his vision was truly showing it. The words on his computer screen were showing double as he continued to type. His predicament almost losing him his primary clue.

He froze suddenly as a notice popped up. He shut his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again to fix his vision. His breathing picked up as he opened the notice and saw what it displayed. He was shocked to find that they were file searches done by the New Orleans office of NCIS on this very day. He took several minutes to sift through them before a sense of unease settled in his gut.

He knew these files. He had been obsessed with the city of Rapture back when he was a probie. He had spent hours researching the place. Now that he saw all the files again, he saw the truth that the other team had seen. He did not know why they were looking at these files, and frankly, he did not really care right now. All he knew is that he had the first real step to finding Tali.

He quickly snatched up his phone and called Gibbs. He took a deep breath. If he was wrong, he was sure Gibbs would kill him.

"Boss, I'm pretty sure know where little Tali is."

_**~*~Chapter End~*~** _


	4. Follow Me Under

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated for a few days. Been sick while also helping my sister get ready for our town's mini convention. I went as a Splicer. This was supposed to be a short bridging chapter to get us on our way to the plot but kinda grew very quickly.

_**~Somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic~** _

Darkness settled over the room. A low keen came from a kneeling middle-aged woman. She held her head in her hands and writhed back and forth slightly.

"Wrong. All wrong. Forever wrong." Her pitiful sounds of distress filled the air. Her voice was distorted, sounding off kilter and echoing, "Home broken, so broken. I will fix it. Restore it." Her eyes fluttered open, the softly glowing orbs shimmered in the dark as her filthy nails clawed at her scalp. She rocked back and forth before slumping against the filthy ground.

She raised her head and looked up, keening louder. She released her nails from her sensitive skin, blood flowing from the quickly healing clawmarks. She sobbed softly and started to crawl across the scum-covered metal flooring towards a large filthy diving suit. She whined softly and nuzzled into it's squishy side. Her dirty hands kneeded the foul-smelling material as she pressed her nose against it. The horrid scent calmed her as she laid next to it.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I'll fix home. Bringing sisters. Sisters will fix home, make home better."

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Chris' mind was numb as he shakily packed his go bag. He felt like all thoughts were going through his mind while also none were going there as well. Every item he seemed to grab was muscle memory. He had everything, right? Toothbrush, floss, clothing, badge, blanket. Did he need anything else?

He was breathing shallowly as he folded a long-sleeve shirt. His hands were trembling. He was worried, scared of failing. What if this was a mistake and Patton was right? Dwayne would be so angry at him for wasting time. If he could not find Laurel then what would become of her father and mother?! The entire family was so important to Chris, he could not fail them! He had promised Linda he would do right by her family as she had kissed his forehead when he got married. Today was his and Dwayne's one month wedding anniversary for god's sake! What kind of gift was not finding your husband's daughter!?

Chris did not realize he was crying until a thick sob caught in his throat and he choked on it. Heavy hands gripped his hips from behind in a worried and comforting manner. He coughed through the discomfort of the sob as a warm body pressed against his back. A gentle kiss was pressed to the nape of his neck as he was held close.

"Christopher, what's wrong, Sweetheart? Why are you crying?" Chris whimpered at the question, knees giving out. Dwayne held him up and looked over his shoulder at the bag, "Why are you packing?" Chris sniffled and shook his head, unable to talk yet. Dwayne quickly kissed his cheek and stroked along his hip, trying to sooth him. Chris' behavior was starting to frazzle Dwayne's already frayed nerves. He pulled a tear-choked yelp of surprise from his partner as he picked up the younger man and carried him to the bed.

He sat the younger man on the edge of the bed, kneeling down on the floor between his knees. He shushed his friend gently and tenderly wiped his tears away. He leaned up and kissed his partner, happy when it was returned needily. He continued it for a few moments, letting it help to relax the younger man.

"Now, speak up. What's goin' on 'ere?" He asked softly after breaking the kiss. He gently stroked Chris' hair, the younger agent calmer now. Chris sniffled again and dipped his head, fingers fidgeting with their sheets.

"A-ah'm sorry, King. A-ah'm so lost an' confused."

"Le' me 'elp, Chris. Jus' tell me why're you packin'?" Dwayne stroked his thumb over his friend's cheek but let him keep his head bowed, "Did Ah scare or 'urt you?" He was relieved when the younger man shook his head. He had been scared that his "frightened parent" tantrum earlier had upset his husband more than he thought it would. As it was, Loretta was not impressed with his attitude.

"F-following a lead. G-goin' ta Icelan'. Need ta fin' Laurel." Dwayne's eyes widened in shock. It was unlike Chris to keep leads from him, even more unlike him to run off and follow them on his own.

"Why didn' you tell me."

"M-Might be bad. Didn' wan' ta disappoint you."

"What do you mean a 'bad lead', Chris?" Dwayne's distorted emotions were jumping around inside but he kept his external self calm and collected. He rested his hands on his partner's knees and gently stroked his hands up his lover's jean-clad thighs. He tenderly brushed his thumb along the hidden brand scar on Chris' left upper inner thigh, the area had odd calming effects on Chris despite the fact that he was given the mark by the Voodoo witch Mama Takuka. It had the immediate soothing effect he was looking for, he could feel the younger man's muscles relax. He ended his calming movement by loosely wrapping his arms around the young man's waist, gently embracing and providing protection.

"I-it don' sound quite right. Soun's like one a Sebastian's conspiracies b-but he ac'ually 'as too much evidence to soun' truly fake."

"Where's the lead? Tell me e'erythin'."

"Lead goes ta a place called Rapture..." Chris bit his lip hard and slowly raised his eyes to meet his lover's gaze. He swallowed thickly before all his information on the lead started to flow out like case evidence.

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Gibbs felt off as he blinked slowly at McGee. The young man had just told him a mouthful but it had been oddly understandable. He shifted his focus down to the file that his new SFA had given him, memories of many of the older articles springing into his memory. He remembered being a child, listening to whispered secrets about a watery hell. He had not understood many things at that time, but one that he had understood was that his nice babysitter from next door and her baby sister had gone missing. The memory of them never finding the girls still haunted him.

He blinked slowly as his thumb brushed over the photo of a missing child from one of the newspaper articles. His eyes grew moist but he willed the tears away. He had suffered so long from nightmares due to hearing about this story as a child. The tale of worldwide disappearances had stayed with him for years. He could still remember his nightmares from when Kelly was five. He kept having dreams of her being snatched away in the night and taken to some hellish underwater fairytale land that only existed in the shadows.

"I know it sounds crazy, Boss. But, sadly, it's the only feasible theory we have so far. None of us have gotten any other leads. It's at least a chance even if it sounds like a fake place."

"It's real." Gibbs' voice was so low that McGee was not sure he had heard his boss correctly. He swallowed thickly and blinked blankly at the older man.

"What was that, Boss?"

"It's real, McGee. The city, Rapture, it's a real location." MeGee felt like was going insane.

"How do you know? I've only ever found speculation in my research."

"Because I heard about it when I was a kid." Gibbs turned away from the younger man, file still clutched in hand as he headed for the elevator to head to Abby's lab and talk to Tony, "Get me coordinates, McGee!"

"O-on it, Boss!"

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Sebastian felt antsy, unsettled. He wanted to walk around but he felt too wobbly. He was scared; scared for the lovely Laurel, scared for his dear friends Pride and LaSalle, and scared about the possibility of Rapture being real. His vague research had shown him that the place was evil, only pain would come from it.

He was called from his worried thoughts by a blip on his computer. He blinked in surprise to see that it was from the main NCIS office, the one that Agent Gibbs' team worked at. He quickly responded and opened the video linkup, trying to calm his rattled nerves. He was more than a little shocked to see a worried Agent McGee looking at him.

"A-agent McGee, what can Ah do fer you?" He took peace in the fact that he had barely stumbled over his own words.

"Hey there, Sebastian. I've got a big question for you." The geeky SFA looked nervous.

"Okay. Let me 'ave it!"

"While doing my own digging. I was notified that..." He trailed off and looked awkward before continuing, "...t-that you were researching the fabled city of Rapture." Sebastian's heart skipped a bit. Was he not supposed to be doing that? Was it illegal? There was a coverup after all! He squinted slightly and looked the other man over. He would not allow this other office to stop him from helping his friends.

"Why do you want to know?" He winced, that came off sounding harsher than he wanted. What was with him today?!

"I-I need the coordinates to the c-city if you have then." While McGee looked like he had just said the stupidest thing in the world, Sebastian's eyes widened with realized horror. He gulped for air as he tried to speak.

"N-not you guys too?!"

"What do you mean 'us too'?" The sudden appearance of Gibbs and his growled question behind McGee made both younger men jump in surprise. Sebastian squeaked slightly and fumbled with his mouse as he tried to relax. Gibbs' growing look of impatience was not helping, "Spit it out, Lund. What did you mean?"

"I-it's Laurel! S-she's gone missing, Pride's goin' ballistic!" The words were out before he could think. Though, his own worry about privacy was overshadowed by the sight of emotion flashing in Gibbs' icy gaze. Sebastian could not truly make out the emotion but it had looked like a mix of anger, fear, and sorrow for the split second it had been there.

It felt like an ice pick had stabbed his heart, leaving Gibbs' emotions open for a tiny moment. Memories of his nightmares about Rapture stealing his daughter away came flashing back but now they starred the daughter of his dear friend rather than his own child. Fear for the girl's safety and sorrow for the pain of his brother-in-arms twisted his insides. Poor little girls gone missing, first Tali and now Laurel; gone to that watery underworld. _**No!**_ He would not let Tony and Dwayne feel the agony he suffered each waking moment! He was going to fix this. He was no longer a child who had to wait and hope for the nice girls next door to return, he was an ex-marine; he would right this wrong!

"Ah can give you what information Ah have, Agent Gibbs." Sebastian said softly as Gibbs' mask fell back into place.

"Dwayne's going there for Laurel." Gibbs' words were a statement that did not surprise Sebastian as much as they maybe should have.

"Actually, LaSalle is." The forensic scientist replied as he sent the file to MeGee.

"If that boy's going then Dwayne won't be far behind." Gibbs looked down at the file as McGee opened it, "Thanks, Kid. Tell Pride, Tony and I'll be meeting him in Iceland."

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Dwayne blinked slowly as he sat back against his headboard. Chris was curled up in his arms, recovering from his slight emotional break, and getting their air tickets. Dwayne was trying to relax as he mentally went over all the information that had been shared with him. It sounded surreal, dark and fake, but the evidence that they held made it just believable to trust. He had to have faith that this was the path he needed to take to get Laurel back.

"All set, King. Tickets are set and Percy's on 'er way ta take us ta the airport." The tired words were muffled slightly as Chris' mouth nestled against Dwayne's chest. The older man looked down and smiled softly, tenderly stroking his husband's hair. He gently thanked the younger man and held him close. Their bags were packed and they had a few exhausted moments to themselves while they waited for Sonja. Though, his smile drifted down into a frown as he held his best friend close and silently begged Chris for forgiveness. This was no way to spend an anniversary.

_**~*~Chapter End~*~** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor note for my non-Cemetery Sweethearts (my Pride/LaSalle series) readers: The mentioned OC, Mama Takuka, is the main villainess of the current arch in the series. Just a little snippit of info added.


	5. Welcome to Rapture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that took a while. Getting over my flu and catching up on homework can slow a person down. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Arrival times have been left vague because I was simply too sick to do the proper math so please just ignore that little piece. Another disclaimer: a lot of speech from BioShock is added into this chapter to give the characters the full effect of Rapture. Most descriptions of the city will be from the game, a tiny bit will be my own artistic rendering. Anything that is quote from the game will be in italics and underlined
> 
> So, please, sit back, read, and enjoy as our favorite characters descend into a water hell...

Jetlag was not a feeling that one ever truly grew used to no matter how many times said person traveled. It dragged you down and made you feel off balance. Gibbs despised it because it hindered his work. He had learned how to muscle through it but it was still unpleasant.

He stepped out of the Navy issued car without a word of thanks to the driver. He clicked his tongue and shut the door. He took a calming breath as Tony scrambled out of his own door.

Each man had a small backpack of supplies. They were carrying light for the sea travel ahead. They had clothes, bottled water, protein bars, and a pistol each. The weapons were under Gibbs' name and had been dificult to obtain due to their mission not being truly sanctioned.

Despite the trials they had urged through, they were finally at the port. Gibbs' stride was strong but he kept a hand on his lover's back. The younger man would zone out for a few seconds here and there, it was most concerning. Gibbs felt conflicted about bringing him. Tony should be home resting and waiting but they both knew that was not an option. Tony was a man of action; he did not just sit around.

They headed for the boat they had rented. Neither were surprised to see Pride and LaSalle waiting for them. Gibbs did not like the looks of his old friend. The man looked worse for wear, much like Tony, but still stood defiantly strong. His scrappy young attack hound of a husband stood proudly at his side, saddling the luggage.

Pride, arms folded over his chest as a means to keep himself strong, nodded in greeting. Gibbs flicked a nod back before shifting his gaze to LaSalle. The young man looked like his last nerve was about to snap. It was not a mystery that the customs department had been hell for them as well.

"Heya, Dwayne." Gibbs greeted kindly, letting his gear drop gently. He smiled sadly as his friend's strong arms slipped around him in a shaky hug, "I'm so sorry, my brother." Gibbs whispered softly to his friend, arms wrapping around the Southerner and holding him close. Apologies and condolences were not a weakness here, not with Laurel's life on the line. He forced his emotions open, sending all his compassion and strength through the embrace as his fingers tangled in Dwayne's hair.

"Thank you, mah brother." Dwayne's words were choked with emotion but he forced it back. Both men could hear Chris lending a strengthening greeting to Tony as well. The ex-SFA could barely thank the youngest man as he clung helplessly to him. Both pairs soon released each other and Dwayne walked closer to Tony. He laid a strong yet gentle hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Don' you worry, Son. We'll be gettin' our girls back. Ah promise you." The strength and conviction in Dwayne's voice stole Tony's breath away. The younger man swallowed thickly and nodded slowly.

"Count on it, Pride."

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Tony had been noticing strange little things about himself since he retired from NCIS. Just tiny changes here and there, like tastes in clothes and food or a shift in views or personality. Though, he had to say, the largest change was his loss in patience.

He had never been extremely patient before. He got bored or distracted easily. He had constantly needed TV, women, and work to just quiet his mind. Now though, his patience and attention span seemed non-existent. It took even more to occupy him.

The current wait was killing him as Chris captained the boat. Tony was antsy now, uncomfortable in his own skin. He was a little jealous that everyone had something to distract them. Gibbs was charting their coarse, Dwayne was navigating to Chris, and Chris was leading them to their destination.

Tony frowned softly as he watched the younger man. He swallowed thickly and pulled his coat closer. Yes, he was freezing, but looking at the group's youngest also made him feel a bit self-conscious. Tony had packed on weight over the years and was only just starting to get it off again. Though, this kid, there was so much to be jealous of! The guy's smaller frame was packed with muscle and controlled by a quiet strength even when his playful side was in charge. It made Tony's natural hyperactivity seem so awkward and out of place. Because, if Dwayne could get a scrappy kid like that, then why would Gibbs want to keep Tony around?

"Tony, you awlrigh'?" Tony blinked rapidly, drawn back to reality by Dwayne's gentle voice. He swallowed thickly and nodded slowly at the older man.

"Wha? Oh, uh, yeah. I'm cool, Dwayne. Just a little cold." He gave a forced smile and shrugged awkwardly. Dwayne smiled sadly in reply and reached into his bag. He pulled out a warm blanket, draping it over Tony.

"Don' worry. We're gettin' through this, Son." Tony was shocked as he felt instantly better. This man was like the polar opposite of what Tony was used to, of Gibbs; it was both calming and unnerving at the same time. The New Orleans duo made quite the interesting pair. They made wonderful friends and Tony found he felt so much better knowing that the two were joining him and Gibbs on this insane quest.

_**~*~NCIS~*~** _

Time flowed together, leaving them unknowing of how long it had been since they left the States. All they knew was that the sun had long since dipped below the horizon by now. The moon had risen in its place. Its light cast an eerie glow upon the ocean's surface, only adding to the anxiety of the four men as they neared their target location.

In the distance, they could make out a towering structure. Logic dictated that it was the lighthouse that marked the entrance to Rapture. This fact filled them each with a strange mixture of relief and dread.

It could be said that they had found the location in record time but they had skill and determination on their side. Gibbs and Dwayne were both very good at navigation, each having several decades of experience under his belt. A set purpose pushed them to use all of their provided information. Though, all their factors were decades old, their abilities allowed them to see the truth hidden in the file that Sebastian had given them. Skill and determination had lead them to their destination.

Breath quickened and pulses roared as they pulled up to the oasis of land in the desert of water. The tiny island consisted entirely of the massive lighthouse that stood at the middle of the crescent-shaped staircase that lead down to the ocean's surface at either point. The towering structure stood imposing despite its obvious age and ware.

Each man felt as if they were trapped in a daze as they grabbed their supplies and secured the boat. They were all awed and a bit disturbed by the grand architecture. Tony opened his mouth for a witty quip yet nothing came forth. His own loss of voice disturbed him. He felt his anxiety grow to near panic attack level as they climbed the short flight of stairs and stood before the entrance.

"Well, that's a hell of an entrance." Tony jumped slightly as the words escaped Gibbs in a low rumble. The broken silence had startled him but he could only agree with the comment.

"Well now, don' le' us jus' stan' aroun' 'ere." Chris commented softly as he walked up to the doors, beginning the struggle of forcing one of the massive metal doors open. Dwayne quickly moved to help him. They forced the heavy slab open and the group wandered inside. They closed the door against the cold before looking forward.

They shifted, slightly startled as lights on the walls clicked on. The light came from the rectangular lamps attached to the lower parts of the walls, illuminating the room. The men looked up and blinked in surprise to see a large statue of a man descend from the back wall. A massive red banner was expanded before the stature. The gilded letters were large and clear despite the age of the tapestry.

 _"No Gods or Kings. Only Man."_ Tony sneered as he read the words aloud, "Man, was this guy full of himself."

"That's the stench of anarchy, DiNozzo." Gibbs' disgust was clear from his growl. He clicked his tongue as the group looked to the left where they spotted another staircase. They settled their gear on their shoulders better and headed for the stairs. As they descend, the stairs leveled out and met another staircase that made a perfect curve with their own. Under where they had come from was a tiny hall only a few feet long. They entered it and it ended at a another landing before descending once more in stairs. They dutifully marched down the much longer curving staircase until they got to the final landing.

The whole path had held a strange effect. It was both regal and eerie. It was discomforting as they reached the bottom. The four men blinked slowly in confusion at what they saw.

Before them lay a large mechanical sphere with a large square door that opened out. The sphere looked more like a carnival ride than anything but the benches inside spoke of much more expensive tastes. The seating was metal and welded to the inner walls of the sphere, each seat covered in a soft red velvet cushion. The whole tiny round room felt both welcoming and frightening at the same time. It was the only place left to go and that was of little comfort.

Gibbs frowned at the sphere but still strode forward. He entered the tiny room with his companions close behind. The other three men took their seats upon the red cushions. Gibbs swallowed thickly as he walked up to the gold control lever at the back of the sphere and pulled it, activating the sphere. Behind him, the thick glass door swung closed; the heavy locks clicking into place. Gibbs took his seat beside Tony as the sphere descended into the vertical water-filled tunnel below it on a massive tube-like tract.

Dread filled their spirits, hearts thumping as their stomachs rolled uneasily as their ride moved them deeper into the watery depths. Momentary panic was a natural response as the tract lowered down a long straight metal shaft, air bubbles below their transport rushed upwards with the movement and easily caught the light that illuminated the sphere. Their insides twisted uncomfortably as they passed a sign saying " _10 fathoms_ ".

It was followed by a long silvery-blue art deco statue of a man with his arms pointed up above his head. The strange artwork caused the two youngest men to cast questioning glances at each other as they sat across from each other. Both missing the next sign saying " _18 fathoms_ ". They were both back to looking out the door as music began to play. The door went dark and an old film started to flicker to life on the glass.

"Hey cool! An in-flight movie!" The quip escaped Tony before he could think, his comment getting a snort of mirth out of Chris. The comment also earned him a playfully soft headslap from Gibbs, the older man subtly smirking. Gibbs was secretly happy that the younger man was getting his sense of humor back, it would help him survive this.

"Shut up and watch the movie, Tony."

The old style screen jumped and flickered more before it displayed a 50's style drawing of a woman leaning towards a man, a cigarette held in her fingers. To her side, the man was leaning close and using the fire at the tip of his finger to light the cigarette for her. There was a caption over the picture that read " _'Fire at your Fingertips' Incinerate. Plasmids by Ryan Industries_."

The picture was obviously an advertisement. Though, the four men had no idea what for.

"Wha' on earth's a 'plasmid'?" Chris' southern drawl grew thicker in his confusion. To the side of him, Dwayne slowly shook his head.

"Ah don' know, Christopher, but Ah highly doubt it's a state of matter." The older man trailed off as the video continued. It was more like a slideshow and now displayed an old black and white photo of a man with a mustache sitting. To the side of the man was the text saying " _From the Desk of RYAN_ ". Tony was about to make a comment when the speakers crackled to life again.

" _I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?_ " Gibbs made a face at the question. He did not like where this was going, " _'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.'_ " Chris sneered at the comment.

"Yeah, sence when?" He growled softly at the screen, thoughts of storm-torn New Orleans filling his mind.

" _'No!' says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God._ '" Dwayne rolled his eyes at the man's tone but said nothing. He instead laid back against the wall, pulling Chris into a loose embrace.

"' _No!' says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone. '_" Tony cringed and shook his head.

"Geez, how old is this?!" Gibbs' hand silently covered the younger man's mouth to quiet him so Gibbs could continue to listen. He was looking for answers and hoped insight on this man would provide them.

" _I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose..._ " All four men sat up as the screen disappeared and exposed the window again. The tract had ended and they were now free-floating in the water, the sphere on what appeared to be autopilot, " _Rapture.._ " Gasps of mind-shattering awe escaped them all as the underwater cityscape of Rapture came into view before them. The darkness of the sea was lit up brightly by bright spotlights and colorful neon signs that adorned the massive underwater 'skyscrapers'. Long tunnels of metal and thick glass connected all sections of the city to one another. Great groups of sea life swam through and around the stunning cluster of art deco-styled buildings that made up the entirety of the city.

Massive structures of metal and sturdy glass, each bathed in blueish-green light and splashes of color. The city in its entirety was stunning, eerily beautiful. It was so awe-inspiring that all four men almost did not notice the tape was speaking again. They each struggled to listen while enthralled by the magic of the city.

" _...a city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality, Where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well._ " The group simply sat there and stared at the city as the sphere took them closer. They could only gape at the majesty of this 'mythical' city, stunned speechless as they descended further towards it.

_**~*~Chapter End~*~** _


	6. Gates of Insanity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am soooo sorry this took so long. I really wanted to get to this point way before Halloween but school was so horrid. The amount of homework I had was a nightmare. But, at least it's still Day of the Dead, so hear you go. We're finally getting to the disturbing part.
> 
> Also, if you're tired of coming here for updates. I have a new NCIS: New Orleans oriented Tumblr. The link is in my profile on here

A sense of wariness settled into each member of the tiny group as their spherical transport floated into its docking port and was slowly raised up to the ground floor of the city. Each felt themselves go vaguely rigid as the sphere locked into its place now that it had arrived at its destination. They blinked slowly as the end of the ride seemed almost anti-climactic but did not allow themselves to relax.

The world beyond the glass of the door was dark and foreboding but indeed a dry room. Though not fully illuminated, the room outside was lit with the same eerie blueish-green glow as the city due to the light shimmering through the tall window on the back wall of the room. They could see small hoards of sea creatures swimming beyond the window, their shadows being cast upon the floor outside the sphere. Within the room, brief crackles of sparking electricity gave spots of light over the exit of the sphere.

Ever one to stride forward in life, Gibbs released Tony and slowly got to his feet. His joints ached and clicked slightly as he stood tall, the sound seeming so loud in the dead silence of the sphere. He ignored it and activated the door release. The heavy locks slowly unbolted and slid back before the door swung open. The stench beyond took all four men by surprise. It consisted of scents they knew well but did not usually go together. Gibbs steeled himself against the putrid smell of decayed human, rotting fish, and festering mold.

He stepped out of the sphere's entrance as the others stood up behind him. A sickening crunch echoed out as his foot pressed down on something. He looked down, gaze turning into a glare to stop his eyes from widening in shock. Under his foot lay now-crushed bones. In the vague glow of the room he could make out that the bones belonged to a hand that lay connected, by location only, to a human skeleton. He had been in his job long enough to notice the skeleton was decades old but that did take away the bad feeling that was crawling into his gut.

He lifted his foot back up and gently used his foot to push aside the crushed bones out of the path. Whoever this poor soul had been, it had not been a peaceful death. The unwashed stains on the floor spoke of violence; splattered and pooling blood soon joined with spilled entrails. The cold, damp atmosphere of the room and oddly disturbing lack of insects spoke the truth of the filthy grime clinging to the bones and floor. The fact that there was remnants of this poor person still clinging to this horrid place was depressing. The detective in him wanted to take a sample back so they could give the bones a proper burial with a proper name but they neither had the time nor the resources for that.

He shoved down the instinct and walked forward, past the dead man to his right. He knew that each of the men behind him held the same desires but they all strove forth. He stepped off the path from the sphere onto the main floor of the room. The long red carpet that marked his path looked as if it used to be of a smooth regal material but now it was filthy and sodden, stained with splotches and streaks of what looked like a combination of mold, blood, and dirt. He felt a clammy hand slip into his own. He looked over to the side sadly, his gaze catching Tony's as the younger man subtly clung to him.

"Jet, my b-baby's in this nightmare? Whoever lives here didn't even have the decency to lay that poor guy to rest." The fear was evident in his partner's whisper. Gibbs wanted to pull the younger man close and comfort him but knew that such a show of comfort in this hour of need would only throw off Tony's game worse than it was. So, instead, he gently squeeze his partner's hand in a comforting gesture as he watched the other man force his way back into his NCIS training despite being out of the game for several months.

"Chin up, Tony, we're getting her back." He got a quick nod in reply as they moved to stand beside the massive glass window. They were joined by their two companions, all four men gazed up in awe at the window.

"Well now. Tha's not somethin' ya see of'en." Chris commented softly as he pressed his hand to the thick glass. The glass spanned about two feet in length but stretched from floor to ceiling. There was a metal pane horizontally through the middle to split the window into two long rectangles. The light from the outside was hazed by a growth of grime and sea vegetation on the outside. Chris grimaced slightly and drew his hand back from the surface. Their was a film of grime on his skin, he was not sure he wanted to know what it consisted of. He shakily wiped it off on his jeans as a crackle of electricity caught their focus.

They all turned from the filthy glass to look behind them. To their left they saw what was another part of the room. It was a long waiting area with more windows and a stair case that lead up at the end of the path. Hiding their grimaces at the sound the squelching carpet below their feet, they followed the filthy red rug to the stairs. They slowly climbed to where it ended in a slightly crumbling archway. The archway lead into a larger hall with debris littering the ground and flickering television screens at the top of pillars.

The hall was also lit by fading flashes of flickering electricity. Things were hard to make out, showing as only vague shapes in the darkness. Despite the lack of light, this hall felt more relaxing. The stench of death was not so thick and breathing no longer made them want to gag quite so much. At the far end of the hall was a age-dulled spotlight that created a pool of lackluster light on the rubble-covered floor. In the shadows directly behind the circle of light was what look like a hole in the lower part of the wall. It looked to be an exit that had caved in slightly yet what remained looked sturdy enough.

Chris pulled the flashlight from his back pocket and clicked it on. Dwayne and Gibbs followed suit as he then lowered his pack to the ground and began to dig into its contents. The tight knot in his stomach relaxed slightly as he found his other flashlight. After removing it, he closed the pack and stood up. He smiled in the near non-existent lighting of their part of the hall and handed it to Tony. The ex-agent nodded his thanks as he took it and clicked it on. He may have remembered to never leave home without his knife but he had made the common mistake of leaving home without a flashlight.

"Geez, what the heck happened to this city?" Tony said softly as they all moved their beams of light to look over the entirety of the hall, there was blood splattered walls and rubble lying all about in mounds. He winced softly when even his whisper seemed to boom in the silence of the empty space.

"Looks lik' a hurricane 'it this place." Chris commented uneasily. He moved his light away from the smeared remains of what had probably once been human and turned to give his husband a questioning look, "Earthquake?" Dwayne quietly shook his head in reply.

"No, quakes didn' cause this." The elder agent moved his light up the walls, "The walls an' windows aren't cracked in a way tha' speaks tremors. The size of a quake needed to knock loose this much rubble woul' also compromise the main structure."

"This came from the inside." Gibbs rumbled out softly, finishing his friend's thought. His words drew disturbed looks from the two younger men. Tony frowned and lifted a hand to drag his fingers nervously through his hair. He looked up more and swallowed back the bile that was creeping up his throat.

"That only leaves the citizens. But why destroy their home?" He bit his lip gently, worrying it between his teeth, "It looks like it could have been a nice place to live, or, at least visit."

"Humans need sun to live, DiNozzo." Gibbs' words were soft as his gaze drifted over to a bloody smear on the wall, "Without it, they either drown in depression or go insane. The same thing happens while living on the water, can you imagine what living under it for an extended period would do to a person?" Tony winced at the answer and sighed. Thinking about it in that light was sad; all those people that just wanted to try something new and it destroyed them. He dipped his head sadly as Dwayne gently spoke up.

"The ghosts of bad decisions haunt us all. Let us not make new ones by dwellin' on theirs. We ain't doin' the girls any good by staying here." The comment came off a bit cold but his three companions knew him well enough to know that he needed to not dwell otherwise so many useless deaths would drag down his kind heart.

Gibbs nodded at his friend and took point once more. He leaded them towards the spotlight and the large hole at the bottle of the wall behind it. Something about the collapsed entrance just spoke of bad fortune. He took a calming breath as they stepped over the rubble of the bath and entered the faded ring of light. Each man stood still and looked at the hole; there was no turning back now. They were at the entrance to insanity.

**_~*~Chapter End~*~_ **


End file.
